Located only about 45 minutes from the Kuala Lumpur city centre, the AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort is the perfect escape for locals looking for a quick weekend getaway, as well as tourists flying in for an exotic retreat.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur is a swanky abode with an urban park design – inspired by the nearby Lake Gardens – fabulous eateries and a cool claim to fame: the Jungle Bird. Created at the Aviary Bar of the original KL Hilton (KL’s first five-star hotel) along Jalan Sultan Ismail back in 1978, this decadent cocktail has been making its rounds in trendy bars in New York and other stylish watering holes worldwide.

People say choosing the right name is important as it will define the very being that you are. So with a name like Sea Sand Sun Resort and Spa, all the makings of a perfect tropical paradise in Pattaya, Thailand are in the resort. Having said that, there were also pleasant surprises sprinkled along the way.

A sandstone dragon with the mane and cat-like body of a lion and the curling trunk of an elephant stared at me, fierce and beautiful. This was a yali, a temple guardian, and I had just entered the inner sanctum of The Leela Goa, a luxurious beach resort under The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Staying at a luxury resort, I never imagined I’d find myself scouring a wet market in search of seafood for dinner, but that’s exactly what I did one morning while lodging at Alila Diwa Goa, a luxury resort in Majorda, South Goa. Part of Alila’s approach to acquainting guests with the local way of life is a tour of the wet market in Margao, which allows guests to learn about the people of Goa and their cuisine.

My forehead was daubed with a yellow paste, my neck garlanded with a gorgeous arrangement of yellow chrysanthemums and tangerine marigolds, and my throat refreshed with a glass of coconut water. This was the warm welcome I received from the staff of Shanti Morada, which served as a teaser for the wholesome Indian experience I enjoyed at this boutique hotel.